Methods and apparatus to correlate census measurement data with panel data

Abstract

Methods, apparatus, and systems are disclosed to correlate census measurement data with panel data. An example system includes accessing means to access a message sent from a requesting device in response to accessing media that includes a tag causing the requesting device to send the message to a monitoring entity with an identification of a geographic location of the requesting device and media identifying information. The example system also includes identification means to determine locations of a plurality of panelist homes and compare the geographic location of the requesting device with the locations of the panelist homes. The example system also includes associating means to identify a user of the requesting device as a panelist residing at the first panelist home and associate the media identifying information with panelist data associated with the first one of the panelist homes.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A computing system comprising:
 a processor; and   a non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having stored thereon program instructions that, upon execution by the processor, cause performance of a set of operations comprising:
 receiving a message sent from a first device in response to accessing media,
 wherein the message comprises media identification information and a first geographic location of the first device; 
 
 obtaining a second geographic location of a second device; 
 determining that the first geographic location is within a threshold area associated with the second geographic location, wherein the threshold area is stored in a database; and 
 associating the media identifying information with a user of the first device when the first geographic location of the first device is within the threshold area. 
   
     
     
         2 . The computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the threshold area is a geographic area that encompasses the second geographic location of the second device. 
     
     
         3 . The computing system of  claim 2 , wherein the database further comprises a building type associated with the second geographic location; and wherein a size of the geographic area associated with the second geographic location is based on the building type. 
     
     
         4 . The computing system of  claim 3 , wherein the building type is at least one of: a house, an apartment, a duplex, an office building, or a gym. 
     
     
         5 . The computing system of  claim 2 , wherein the geographic area is at least one of: a circle, an ellipse, a rectangle, or a hexagon. 
     
     
         6 . The computing system of  claim 1 , wherein the first device is at least one of: a laptop, a television, or a smartphone, and wherein the second device is a meter. 
     
     
         7 . The computing system of  claim 6 , wherein at least one of the first geographic location or the second geographic location is obtained using a global positioning system. 
     
     
         8 . A method comprising:
 receiving a message sent from a first device in response to accessing media, wherein the message comprises media identification information and a first geographic location of the first device;   obtaining a second geographic location of a second device;   determining that the first geographic location is within a threshold area associated with the second geographic location, wherein the threshold area is stored in a database; and   associating the media identifying information to a user when the first geographic location of the first device is within the threshold area.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 flagging the media identifying information as panelist data and the user as a panelist of an audience measurement entity when the first geographic location of the first device is within the threshold area; and   flagging the media identifying information as census data when the first geographic location of the first device is not within the threshold area.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the threshold area is shaped as at least one of: a circle, an ellipse, a rectangle, or a hexagon. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the obtaining the second geographic location of the second device comprises retrieving the second geographic location of the second device from the database. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the obtaining the second geographic location of the second device comprises receiving a message sent from the second device, the message from the second device including the second geographic location. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first geographic location or the second geographic location is obtained using a global positioning system. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the first device is at least one of: a desktop computer, a smart television, or a cellular device, and the second device is a meter. 
     
     
         15 . A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium, having stored thereon program instructions that, upon execution by a processor, cause performance of a set of operations comprising:
 receiving a message sent from a first device in response to accessing media,
 wherein the message comprises media identification information and a first geographic location of the first device; 
   obtaining a second geographic location of a second device;   determining that the first geographic location is within a threshold area associated with the second geographic location, wherein the threshold area is stored in a database;   and   crediting the media identifying information to a user when the first geographic location of the first device is within the threshold area.   
     
     
         16 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the first device is at least one of: a laptop, a television, or a smartphone; wherein the second device is a meter; and wherein at least one of the first geographic location or the second geographic location is obtained using a global positioning system. 
     
     
         17 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , wherein the threshold area extends within a boundary of a physical structure. 
     
     
         18 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 17 , wherein the physical structure is at least one of: a duplex, a house, an apartment, an office building, or a gym. 
     
     
         19 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 15 , the set of operations further comprising:
 flagging the accessing of the media as occurring in a home of the user when the first geographic location of the first device is within the threshold area.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory computer-readable storage medium of  claim 19 , wherein the user is a panelist of an audience measurement entity.